Baños

Baños means “baths” in Spanish and is probably the Ecuadorian equivalent to Bath, East Somerset. Only with the tiny difference that this town has baths that you can actually jump into for around £1 and that the water is volcanic, hot and pleasant.
Baños is a small town squeezed in between some mountains and has awesome opportunities for hiking and other activities. Not surprisingly, it is one of Ecuador’s favourite holiday spots in the highlands. Baños is well worth a visit as, although it caters almost exclusively for tourists, competition is hard and makes prices inexpensive. I was able to rent a fine single room for a mere $4 a night and a good mountain bike with all equipment (helmet, tools, locks, maps etc) was going for $5 a day.

Baños pictures from left:
1) The thermal baths exotically located at a waterfall
2) The large church in the centre contains a collection of bizarre paintings of how people are miraculously saved from weird accidents and natural disasters by the Virgin of Holy Water.
3) A hike in the hills - good views of the little town.